On the Road to Easter

It’s like shopping for your beloved on Christmas Eve.

At 10 p.m.

Maybe there’s a Walgreen’s open nearby. If so, you throw some Christmas candy in the basket along with a bottle of cologne, even if he never wears the stuff. Buy a bottle of aspirin, too, and attach a note saying you’re sorry you’re such a pain. Ha. Ha.

If you can’t go that route, there’s always 7-Eleven. Create a bouquet out of a handful of Slim Jims, stick them in the biggest of mega-jumbo cups and promise that in the coming year you’ll bring sweet and salty moments to his life.

Good luck with that.

Anyway, that is how I feel as I write this on Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday)/ Shrove Tuesday, the eve of Lent. Traditionally, one indulges today before denying oneself during the Lenten season, which ends with the glorious celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter.

For the record, my indulgence consisted of a Shirley Temple this afternoon (with four cherries, no less!) and a stack of fluffly blueberry pancakes tonight, flipped to perfection by Mr. Pettit.

Now for the denial. And that’s where my Christmas Eve-ish urgency comes into play.

I’m not interested in checking a box on a spiritual to-do list or impressing someone with my self-discipline. Rather, I want to embark on a journey of repentance, reflection, rededication, and rediscovery. I want to meet the risen Lord on Easter Sunday with a fresh awareness of His overwhelming sacrifice and indescribable glory.

But how do I get there?

Although the details of my itinerary are still blurry, a plan is taking shape in my mind. I’ll follow a Lenten devotional on Dwell, the Bible reading app. I am going to fast from morning to evening one day a week and use my missed mealtimes to study and read the Bible and pray. (I must be honest with you; I feel pretty shaky about my chances with this one. But I heard recently that I should seek to do things that are only possible with God, and fasting certainly fits the bill for me.)

Finally, I’ll return to this page each week with a few thoughts about the road to Easter. That will force me to document my journey and keep me accountable. Also, time spent here with you is time I am not wasting on social media, news websites, and the plethora of online shopping venues that activate my hunter-gatherer instinct.

While I always love to hear from you, I’d especially appreciate your feedback with this series. How are you preparing your hearts for Easter? Do you have any insights or personal experiences you’d like to share with me and your fellow readers? Contact me at ritapettit@ritafinchpettit.com.

Let’s go!